Facing the Lion: Memoirs of a Young Girl in Nazi Europe. Simone Arnold Liebster. (New Orleans, LA: Grammaton Press, 2000.) The autobiographical account of a young girl’s faith and courage. Set during the Nazi occupation of Eastern France, it tells the story of one 12-year old’s struggle to follow her
During the period of National Socialism, the religious beliefs, teachings and actions of the Jehovah’s Witnesses were a public proclamation that approximated a way of life whose central tenets collided with those of the National Socialist state. Here was a small group of some 20 to 25,000 “average Germans” and
The Buchenwald SeriesWatercolors by Johannes SteyerA Jehovah’s Witness survivor As prisoner #1795, Steyer shares 27 freeze-frame visions in chronological order that contrast ten years of Nazi terror with individual religious determination and hope. The artist chose to use bright colors, perhaps reflecting the hope and optimistic yearning that infused his
Below you will find the transcript of the following video: https://sfi.usc.edu/content/living-histories-franz-wohlfahrt A more extensive video can be found here: https://sfi.usc.edu/content/franz-wohlfahrt CARD #1 Jehovah’s Witnesses were targeted for persecution based on their religious convictions and/or expression of those convictions. When they refused to comply with compulsory military service in Germany, increasing
The Declaration – An Extraordinary Offer Using a unique primary document, this lesson highlights the difficult choices made by Jehovah’s Witnesses, a small group of people who adhered to their beliefs despite brutal efforts to make them conform to Nazi ideology. Unlike other concentration camp inmates, the Witnesses could buy
National History Day Each year over half a million students participate in the NHD Contest. Students conduct primary and secondary research on a topic of their choosing related to the annual theme. NHD Student Resources include Helpful Research Links for the purpose of helping students with their project. Included is
Resistance of Conscience – A Girl against the Nazi Regime Interview with Simone Arnold Liebster on March 18, 1997 Interview by the USC Shoah Foundation with contemporary witness Simone Arnold Liebster on March 18, 1997. Length: 224 minutes. Shortened version (length 33 minutes): https://youtu.be/8m9QnVYU08U Excerpt about saying goodbye to her
Survival and Resistance: The Netherlands Under Nazi Occupation Linda M. Woolf, Ph.D. “(…) While most individuals are aware of the extreme persecution of the Jews during the Holocaust, far fewer are aware of the brutal persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses by the Nazis. Approximately one month after Hitler claimed power in
